Classic How good (or bad) is the browser on the nook wifi?

mickeyfinn · 03-31-2011, 09:50 PM

How good (or bad) is the browser on the nook wifi?

Mostly I'd just "google" with it but I think I would like having the capability of using it.

I have a desktop and a laptop that I use to browse and I'm trying to decide between a nook wifi and a sony prs350.

I can get a real nice deal on the 350 BUT, as I say, I like the browser aspect of the nook wifi.

But if the nook wifi browser is essentially useless maybe it's not that important.

I have been at B&N a couple of times asking about the nook wifi but the "nook guy" there keeps trying to shove the nook color down my throat.

I ask him direct questions about the nook wifi and its browser and he evades the questions and keeps talking about the nook color.

He demonstrated the nook wifi browser for me once and it didn't seem bad but he keeps telling me how poor the wifi's browser is.

I think he gets a bigger commission from selling the nook color, or at least this is how it feels.

What do you leaned people think?

Thank you.

Zarich · 03-31-2011, 11:17 PM

It's poor. Not unusable, but poor. I think for me the hardest part to deal with is the tiny touch screen. It does show the whole page on the e-ink screen, but you focus on the touch screen because that shows a color rep of a portion of the image. HOwever it is very slow.

boswd · 04-01-2011, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zarich

It's poor. Not unusable, but poor. I think for me the hardest part to deal with is the tiny touch screen. It does show the whole page on the e-ink screen, but you focus on the touch screen because that shows a color rep of a portion of the image. HOwever it is very slow.

ummm I would disagree wholeheartldy on your assesment. Now granted i have a solid wifi and great router, but my Nook color browses very fast, even image intensive websites like Engadget or droid-life pull up very quick.

Holding it in landscape makes for a nice web browsing. Now the browser itself in no Chrome or Firefox etc but for regular web browsing it's pretty solid. Pages load up quick ( again, it's always going to be up to signal strength)

another thing I like about it is it pulls up the main webpage and not the mobile.

If you are looking for regular web surfing this is more than fine. but if you are looking for the browser to be like Dolphin, Chrome etc its not.

Zarich · 04-01-2011, 01:00 AM

um...if he was asking about the nook color I would agree.. but he is talking about the nook.

boswd · 04-01-2011, 01:00 AM

oh my bad, I thought you were talking about the Nook color.

Umm yeah web surfing on eink is pretty much clunky. nooks isn't horrible Like Zarich said it's usable but it's main function is to connect to wifi outside of your home that requires an "I Agree" check

It does have an advantage over other eink web browsing is that the LCD screen is color and that renders pretty nice, albeit very small.

I wouldn't look to the nook, sony, kindle or any other eink device for good web surfing experience.

boswd · 04-01-2011, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zarich

um...if he was asking about the nook color I would agree.. but he is talking about the nook.

yeah my bad, It took me a minute to catch on. hmm maybe it's my body trying to tell me something. GO TO BED

sorry about that

Asawi · 04-01-2011, 01:25 AM

It's really bad. In my opinion only usable as a last resort if you're for example travelling and need to look something up. Or just read from bookmarked pages, a news feed or something. Maybe pulling up a map would work as well IF you managed to type in your search correctly.

I'm not saying cannot be used for other things, but I suspect it would lead to a great deal of frustration.

HeyYou · 04-01-2011, 07:06 AM

All the assessments are right on - the browser works, but you'll find yourself not wanting to bother. No https, and of course no flash.

That said, if nothing else is available, it does function. I've successfully used it on the following sites:

Gmail
Slashdot
Detroit News
Dailymail
Ebay

RAH · 04-01-2011, 07:45 AM

Yes, I agree with everyone that the Classic Nook's browser is really poor. If you just want to read a website, I guess it is usable, but if you want to do anything else on it (like click a link or enter a search term) it can drive you NUTS!

The main trouble I had is to position the webpage. For example, in order to say click a link that is 1/2 way down a page, you need to get the page to scroll down in the BOTTOM touch-panel window the exact amount to position that link so you can see it and click it. In other words, just seeing it in the top panel is not enough. Since the bottom panel is much less tall, it is an exercise in frustration trying to get it to scroll the exact amount - you either wind up scrolling too far and bypass where you want yourself positioned, or not enough, or, worse yet, you accidentally click on a link somewhere while you are trying to scroll the panel. UGH!

I bought a Color Nook for web browsing. It works great, even unrooted. But note, I much prefer the e-ink Classic Nook for reading. So the 2 devices complement each other, IMHO.

HeyYou · 04-01-2011, 10:18 AM

I have both as well. The color is a much better browser, and a surprisingly nice reader. However, as soon as I'm outside in the sun this summer, the e-ink is back to the primary.

Joykins · 04-01-2011, 12:12 PM

It's horrid. Slow and difficult to navigate since you have to use the touch screen. It would do in a real emergency, but only for that. Smart phone browsers are much better, even the nook color is worlds better.

faithbw · 04-01-2011, 06:44 PM

I agree with the others. I would only use it when I absolutely had to. The browser on my iPod Touch is worlds better than the one on the Nook wifi. I would only use the browser on the Nook for very basic browsing like reading a site primarily with text or checking e-mail. As Zarich pointed out, it also confusing to use the web browser because of the LCD. I focus on the LCD screen. Also, because the LCD screen is slow in responsiveness to another device like the Nook Color or a smartphone, it becomes awkward to type on and I often end up double typing letters or numbers.

03-31-2011, 09:50 PM	#1
mickeyfinn Banned Posts: 33 Karma: 650 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: none	How good (or bad) is the browser on the nook wifi? How good (or bad) is the browser on the nook wifi? Mostly I'd just "google" with it but I think I would like having the capability of using it. I have a desktop and a laptop that I use to browse and I'm trying to decide between a nook wifi and a sony prs350. I can get a real nice deal on the 350 BUT, as I say, I like the browser aspect of the nook wifi. But if the nook wifi browser is essentially useless maybe it's not that important. I have been at B&N a couple of times asking about the nook wifi but the "nook guy" there keeps trying to shove the nook color down my throat. I ask him direct questions about the nook wifi and its browser and he evades the questions and keeps talking about the nook color. He demonstrated the nook wifi browser for me once and it didn't seem bad but he keeps telling me how poor the wifi's browser is. I think he gets a bigger commission from selling the nook color, or at least this is how it feels. What do you leaned people think? Thank you.

04-01-2011, 07:06 AM	#8
HeyYou Interested in everything! Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Michigan, USA Device: Nook & Nook Color	Slow, clunky, better than nothing All the assessments are right on - the browser works, but you'll find yourself not wanting to bother. No https, and of course no flash. That said, if nothing else is available, it does function. I've successfully used it on the following sites: Gmail Slashdot Detroit News Dailymail Ebay

04-01-2011, 10:18 AM	#10
HeyYou Interested in everything! Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Michigan, USA Device: Nook & Nook Color	I agree I have both as well. The color is a much better browser, and a surprisingly nice reader. However, as soon as I'm outside in the sun this summer, the e-ink is back to the primary.

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03-31-2011, 11:17 PM	#2
Zarich Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 1202 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3 Wi-Fi	It's poor. Not unusable, but poor. I think for me the hardest part to deal with is the tiny touch screen. It does show the whole page on the e-ink screen, but you focus on the touch screen because that shows a color rep of a portion of the image. HOwever it is very slow.

04-01-2011, 01:00 AM	#4
Zarich Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 1202 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3 Wi-Fi	um...if he was asking about the nook color I would agree.. but he is talking about the nook.

04-01-2011, 01:00 AM	#5
boswd Banned Posts: 2,391 Karma: 1001781 Join Date: May 2010 Device: The Nook, Nook color and Droid X	oh my bad, I thought you were talking about the Nook color. Umm yeah web surfing on eink is pretty much clunky. nooks isn't horrible Like Zarich said it's usable but it's main function is to connect to wifi outside of your home that requires an "I Agree" check It does have an advantage over other eink web browsing is that the LCD screen is color and that renders pretty nice, albeit very small. I wouldn't look to the nook, sony, kindle or any other eink device for good web surfing experience.

04-01-2011, 01:25 AM	#7
Asawi Gadgetoholic Posts: 1,467 Karma: 3865860 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sweden Device: Kobo Libra2, Tolino Vision 6	It's really bad. In my opinion only usable as a last resort if you're for example travelling and need to look something up. Or just read from bookmarked pages, a news feed or something. Maybe pulling up a map would work as well IF you managed to type in your search correctly. I'm not saying cannot be used for other things, but I suspect it would lead to a great deal of frustration.

04-01-2011, 07:45 AM	#9
RAH Guru Posts: 615 Karma: 575652 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Hampton, NH Device: Kobo Aura H20; Kobo ClaraBW	Yes, I agree with everyone that the Classic Nook's browser is really poor. If you just want to read a website, I guess it is usable, but if you want to do anything else on it (like click a link or enter a search term) it can drive you NUTS! The main trouble I had is to position the webpage. For example, in order to say click a link that is 1/2 way down a page, you need to get the page to scroll down in the BOTTOM touch-panel window the exact amount to position that link so you can see it and click it. In other words, just seeing it in the top panel is not enough. Since the bottom panel is much less tall, it is an exercise in frustration trying to get it to scroll the exact amount - you either wind up scrolling too far and bypass where you want yourself positioned, or not enough, or, worse yet, you accidentally click on a link somewhere while you are trying to scroll the panel. UGH! I bought a Color Nook for web browsing. It works great, even unrooted. But note, I much prefer the e-ink Classic Nook for reading. So the 2 devices complement each other, IMHO.

04-01-2011, 12:12 PM	#11
Joykins Wizard Posts: 1,610 Karma: 9211856 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: kindle Oasis 2018, kindle 4 NT, kindle PW2, iPhone, iPad mini	It's horrid. Slow and difficult to navigate since you have to use the touch screen. It would do in a real emergency, but only for that. Smart phone browsers are much better, even the nook color is worlds better.

04-01-2011, 06:44 PM	#12
faithbw Guru Posts: 618 Karma: 1526148 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: A place where the sun always shines Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Mini 2	I agree with the others. I would only use it when I absolutely had to. The browser on my iPod Touch is worlds better than the one on the Nook wifi. I would only use the browser on the Nook for very basic browsing like reading a site primarily with text or checking e-mail. As Zarich pointed out, it also confusing to use the web browser because of the LCD. I focus on the LCD screen. Also, because the LCD screen is slow in responsiveness to another device like the Nook Color or a smartphone, it becomes awkward to type on and I often end up double typing letters or numbers.

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